Once you combine the olive oil & vinegar, you can add to it to enhance it. Minced roasted garlic is fabulous. Freshly ground black pepper. Shredded fresh basil or other herbs. Freshly grated parmesan cheese. And yes, the bread needs to be something crusty and substantial. And fresh and hot out of the oven is preferable.

There are many restaurants who serve that around here. It sort of became the new garlic bread. Although my favorite Italian restaurant actually still serves a wonderful garlic bread before your meal.

Once you combine the olive oil & vinegar, you can add to it to enhance it. Minced roasted garlic is fabulous. Freshly ground black pepper. Shredded fresh basil or other herbs. Freshly grated parmesan cheese. And yes, the bread needs to be something crusty and substantial. And fresh and hot out of the oven is preferable.

There are many restaurants who serve that around here. It sort of became the new garlic bread. Although my favorite Italian restaurant actually still serves a wonderful garlic bread before your meal.

Mmmm, you're making me hungry! I actually have a shaker with several dipping spice mixes in it, and the favorite is always parmesan and garlic. I took a fresh loaf of bread, the spices and a bottle of oil to Bible study. Nobody knew what to do with any of it until I demonstrated, but I wound up wishing I had bought two loaves of bread. Even the little kids were begging for another piece, even though I had been sure they would probably think it was 'weird.'

Balsamic vinegar is a lot like wine - you can get a decent bottle for a reasonable price, but at the high/old end, it gets exponentially more expensive. The $1000 a bottle stuff isn't something you'll see at a normal retailer - I think you need private appointments to get near the stuff.

Balsamic is great in salad dressings too, when used in moderation. I've had a great balsamic-soy dressing with a spinach salad, for example.

Balsamic vinegar is a lot like wine - you can get a decent bottle for a reasonable price, but at the high/old end, it gets exponentially more expensive. The $1000 a bottle stuff isn't something you'll see at a normal retailer - I think you need private appointments to get near the stuff.

Balsamic is great in salad dressings too, when used in moderation. I've had a great balsamic-soy dressing with a spinach salad, for example.

I also have raspberry balsamic on my shelf because I use it to make my own salad dressing....why I never put two and two together is beyond me.

I just love balsamic vinegar, the inexpensive kind from Wegman's, on sauteed greens.

This probably sounds weird, but I like to make beans and greens without the beans. I saute a chopped head of romaine or escarole with some garlic in olive oil. I leave it fairly crunchy for the texture. Then I eat it with balsamic vinegar. I would be happy having this every day.

[ For beans and greens just add a well rinsed can of cannellini beans when the greens are nearly done. A bit of parm is good, too.]